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By Chris Bishop and Karen Bong
KUCHING, Aug 2: A total of 2,760 hectares out of an estimated 10,000 hectares of land has been developed as commercial bamboo plantations, along with 59 hectares of community bamboo farming, as part of ongoing efforts to position Sarawak as the leading bamboo hub in Malaysia.
Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg stated that the Sarawak government has allocated 10,000 hectares of land for commercial bamboo plantations, with an additional 1,640 hectares designated for community bamboo farming.
This approach aims to ensure sustainable availability of resources for the bamboo industry within the region.
“Currently, 2,760 hectares of commercial bamboo plantations have been established, along with 59 hectares for community bamboo farming. I am confident in this strategy’s ability to propel Sarawak to become the leading bamboo hub in Malaysia.
“The government’s intention is to diversify the range of timber species and natural resources found in Sarawak by capitalising on the region’s unique natural environment,” Abang Johari said before witnessing the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC) and Rich Venture Plantation Sdn Bhd at a local hotel today.
The objective of the MoU centres on establishing a commercial bamboo plantation and processing centre to produce high value-added products such as biomass, bamboo charcoal and food packaging materials.
STIDC was represented by its general manager Zainal Abidin Abdullah while Rich Venture Plantation was represented by its director Hii Wei Wen at the MoU signing.
Emphasising the ambition to export downstream timber products worth RM8 billion, Abang Johari urged industry stakeholders to explore opportunities in the downstream sector, given that Sarawak boasts a diverse array of bamboo species, including indigenous ones, making it an ideal location for downstream product development.
“What we want is to expand and diversify our exports and one of the areas we are looking into is sustainable downstream timber and timber-based industries, where trees are felled and replanted.
“Bamboo requires a specific ecosystem to grow, and Sarawak is fortunate to possess such an environment. Proper planning and identification of suitable areas for bamboo plantations are key factors in this initiative,” he said.
Similar to sago, Abang Johari said, bamboo exhibits rapid growth and requires less aggressive cultivation. Once a plot is initiated, bamboo naturally thrives, enabling a fast multiplication of resources to produce quality products through commercial plantations.
Furthermore, Abang Johari added that these endeavours align with Sarawak’s commitment to conserving its forests and embracing a green economy as forest-derived materials can also serve as feedstock for renewable energy, including biomass, which is applicable to bamboo as well, and given the market demand.
“I hope the stakeholders especially STIDC and Rich Venture will conduct more research to diversify their products as Sarawak has already seen innovative creations such as bamboo-made bicycles.
“I believe the potential for more creative applications is promising,” he said.
Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Urban Development Datuk Len Talif Salleh, former STIDC general manager Datu Dr Hashim Bojet and Rich Venture Plantation managing director Dato Hii King Chiong were among those present. — DayakDaily
